3 Responses

- He was apparently the most “satanic” hustler on the streets of Harlem before he went to jail and was convinced over time by his brother to become a Muslim
- He was the loudest voice of the Nation of Islam in America before he started to question the morals (and holiness) of his leader–and thus the religion–and eventually converted to Orthodox Islam
- He believed all whites were evil based on his experiences in America, then changed those beliefs when confronted with the genuine, non-paternalistic ‘brotherhood’ of men of all colors at Mecca

The other great thing about Malcolm X is that when he believed in something it was with every fiber of his being, which makes his ability to change his mind even more impressive. I also appreciate that he was willing to be aggressive and even offensive at times. In the world of political correctness I think we lose a certain sense of authenticity (not you though Wess! I love the truthfulness that comes out of your words). I don’t agree with sentiments that we always have to be “nice” — respect is necessary, but niceness can easily turn into phoniness.